y mother as if she had lost her mind. Ma

at? The lint in

he walked toward the sta

ands clenched so tight

ion to bid seemed like a final, desperate

neath the years of hardship

the countdown for t

going once! One hundre

ts flew from

a weekend she'l

this one, by the pool!" He held up a large phot

overwhelming. The

thew' s father shouted from the c

h the noise. It was a term used in high-stakes C

, Maria. If you can't pay, you'll take you

't flinch. "Ve

d out a single, tarnished silver dollar.

r. "A dollar? Is that a joke? She'

venue-picked up the coin. His eyes widened. He ran i

ce shaking. "It's... it's a Cullen S

at it meant. The coin was a legendary marker, given only to direct Cullen

was using a piece of her own history, a treasure she had kept

e bid... the bid is accepted. The

rs stared, their face